Poker News and Poker Gossip

All the talk, these days, is about politics. Guesses and accusations are made regularly about who will make changes and who won’t change a thing. Everyone has an argument both in favor and against all parties and all of their representatives. Amidst all of the chatter are the politicians, who know what they want to do but can only do so if they are heard and empowered by votes.

This is why PocketFives.com has been, for the past several weeks, welcoming politicians to the PocketFives.com Podcast. Congressman Frank joined the group in early April discussing the legislation he and Ron Paul introduced to the House on the 11^th. And on the 17^th, Congressman Wexler spoke with the PocketFives crew.

Wexler is attempting to pass legislation that would exempt poker, mah jong, chess and similar games from the current Internet gambling laws. It would keep games of skill played man to man rather than player to house from being subject to the strict regulations and bans that are currently infuriating poker players throughout the country. Wexler also favors groups such as the Poker Players Alliance, which fights for the rights of online poker players. He believes that the poker world is one that should not be ignored, and that makes him a man you don’t want to ignore.

To hear the Podcast, check out PocketFives.com. You’ll be glad you did, and come November, you’ll be even more so when you make the wise vote.

How the United States government is currently handling online gambling is a hot topic of conversation for poker players as well as congress’ members. Hardly a week goes by without a new proposal or theorized amendment to the current restrictions. Just last week, Representatives Barney Frank (D-Mass) and Ron Paul (R-Texas) introduced a bill that would limit enforcement of the 2006 online gambling ban, and Shelley Berkley (D-Nev) suggested a one year study of internet gambling. But both proposals were just talk, and poker players don’t think it will progress much further than that any time soon.

Jay Lakin, the vice president of Poker Source Online, publicly stated his opinion, saying that anything and everything takes a very long time to get through Congress. Even with a mound of proposals, it could be years until the ban is anywhere near being lifted. At the very least, poker players as well as gamblers will have to wait for the presidential election to end before action can occur, and even then, the next steps will depend on who is elected and who has control of the House. If it’s the wrong party or the wrong group, poker could be doomed for some time to come.

So until that is determined, the only thing online poker players can do is to play it safe. Go to the big sites, keep your dealings legitimate, vote for your benefit and hope that when we move the next round of officials to Washington, they are more than just talk. They’re action, at a hare’s pace.

In 2006 the gambling world was altered by the SAFE Port Act, which brought with it the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). Suddenly, the Federal government, rather than the states, was in charge of every bet offered and hand dealt online. Internet poker players and the like met with a wall of restrictions - restrictions that could disappear after the 2008 Presidential Election or could remain as strong and permanent as ever. It all depends on who gets elected.

If John McCain or Hilary Clinton is put into office, the same thing will happen: nothing. The Republicans have no interest in altering the UIGEA’s parameters. In fact, they are quite content with the current situation. Therefore, if McCain is elected and his party reclaims control, the UIGEA will remain as it is. Similarly, if Clinton is elected, it is predicted that the Republicans will then, too, take the majority in the Senate, rendering the Democrats powerless.

            But what if Barack Obama is elected?

If Obama is elected, the Democrats will likely remain in control of the Senate. Republicans won’t rally together to keep him out of office, and Democrats will not vote against their party out of distaste for the nominee. There will be the ability to change the UIGEA. Online gamblers and online poker players could see ease in restrictions as soon as 2009. Is it any question then which candidate should have your vote?

In early March the Ottawa provincial government made it clear they intend to shut down illegal gaming operations based on the Kahnawake Reservation outside Montreal, Quebec. According to public statements made by a representative for the office of Rob Nicholson, other measures are being examined outside of the standard enforcement options.

As the understanding by the general populace as well as the poker players and online gambling operators is that these ‘other measures’ would include bank restrictions and the like. Following these statements the local race track owners are speaking avidly for the measures. In reflection, this is something that sounds more like a protectionist measure such as what the United States passed in 2006. Enforcement of laws that are not applicable to the native nations would only serve to protect the land based tracks and gambling options.

A compulsive gambler has launched a lawsuit against UK Bookmaker, William Hill after losing £2 Million British Pounds.

Graham Calvert, 28, who began betting in August 2005 and set up his account with William Hill in May 2006, wants the betting agents to pay back his losses.

Mr Calvert, a respected greyhound trainer from Tyne and Wear who at one stage was earning up to £30,000 a month, initially bet £1,000 to £5,000 a time but this quickly grew to single bets of up to £30,000.

In May 2006, he claims he told William Hill that he wanted his account closed and his “self-exclusion” appeal was taped by the bookmaker. He repeated this request a month later but was allowed to carry on betting until December. Due to some holes in their self-exclusion system, bettors can still place bets even after requesting to be excluded.

He claims he asked to be barred after betting £3.5 million, of which he lost £2,028,858.

Some days he would place 20 bets at £30,000 a punt. He bet a whopping £7.5 million in 16 months, sometimes bringing bin liners stuffed with £100,000 cash to place his bets.

In 2006, he placed a £347,000 bet on America to win the Ryder Cup but lost. At this time, it was the biggest recorded golf bet in history.

Mr Calvert, whose marriage broke down because of his gambling, said: “If I’d known I had the problem and didn’t do anything about it, I would see myself as being 100 per cent responsible.

“The fact is that I did try to go through the right procedures and I was let down.”

Mr Calvert alleges the betting chain failed in its duty of care and is taking William Hill to the High Court on Monday. William Hill continues to deny these charges.

Article Source: Yahoo News

It’s been a week now, since Lee Rousso annouced he is moving to unseat current Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire. Momentum is building in his favor. In his address on his gubernatorial site, he clearly speaks about his “buyers remorse” in voting for this Governor Gregoire with out hesitation. Now he intends to unseat her in the democratic primary for governor in August.

Lee Rousso is the Poker Player Alliance member, and the attorney who chose to challenge the state and the law SB 6613, in an effort to overturn the felony status of online gaming. In his suit he sited the constitution and the commerce clause there of. This holds the protective nature of the law in violation of the United States Constitution. In their effort to derail him, the state began to dig into his legal background seeking some violation of his own. He has no arrest record. Although the intrusive nature of the state’s inquisition, the court allowed it as part of the discovery process. Rouso appealed it.

With his convictions in tact, may Lee Rousso be elected the next United State Governor to the State of Washington. To offer support to this determined and focused attorney please visit his site at http://leeroussoforgovernor.org/ — perhaps we’ll see this accomplished political poker player run for president in 2010.